Buckle.



PATENTED NOV. 26, 1907.

I. BLUM.

BUCKLE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 30. 1907.

El moan l'o'o gazu/ attorney 9% tu as:

UNITED STATES PATENT ()FFICE.

ISAAC BLUM, OF BALTIMORE, MAITYLAND, ASSIGNOR'TO ALMA MANUFACTURING COMPANY OF BALTIMORE CITY, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, A CORPORATION OF MARYLAND.

BUCKLE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 26, 1907.

Application filed April 80. 1907. Serial No. 871.159.

a certain new and useful Improvement in Buckles, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to that class of socalled buckles which are used particularly in adjustably securing straps upon garment-sand especially the back straps on vests and trousers and the side or hip straps on trousers. These buckles are also known as slides and cast-oils, and these various designations are herein used synonymously. These buckles have no movable tongues, but instead have prongs of considerable length and with quite sharp points,

and are made of steel and other meta plates at a low price, this waste is a serious cut in profits ol manufacture. l. have-found that an eflicient buckle of tlus sort may be produced economically, and practically withnot waste, by using short and dull prongs 01' teeth so disposedthat the straps will have nut in them a considerable bight and be lield'in adjusted position within the buckle by friction on the, prongs rather than by being penetrated by the prongs.

Another disadvantage incident to the prior CullStIUtiiOllS is that the prongs were so di -posed that the straps could be applied only in one dirm tion of passage through the buckle. Thisnvus an inconvenience to the wearer when attempting to ad'ust the straps with the garment on. By't e present invention, the straps may be passed through thebuckle from right to left or from leit to right, inrliscrin1inately, and be securely held. The buckle, therefore, may be used rewrsely, and the straps be applied from either end, one over or under the other and then pulled in a direction away from the buckle to cause them to bind in the buckle. The iiser is able to see the mode of use of the buckle without previous instruction.

The invention consists of abuckle, slide or cast-oil", constructed and arranged to operate substantially as herein set forth and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, illustrating the invention, in the several figures of which like parts are similarly designated, Figure 1-is.a perspective view, Fig. 2 is a. top plan view, Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section,

and Fig. 4 is a transverse section, taken be-- tween an end-bar and the cross-bar. of one form of buckle. slide, or cast-ofl constructed in accordance with this invention. Fi 5 is a longitudinal section'of the buckle s own in Figs. 1 to 4 and having the ends of straps secured therein. Fin 6 is a top plan view of a modification Tip. 7 is a perspective view of another modification.

The side-bars 1, the end-bars 2 and the cross-bar 3 are made-integral, and of suitable metal, preferably sheet steel, struck up to shape. The side-bars and end-bars are concavo-convex as shown in the sections, Figs. 3,4 and 5, and the cross-bar -is reversely curved as shown in Figs. 1, 3 and 5. The end-bars are provided with relatively short and dull, as opposed to sharp, prongs 4 which, as shown in Figs. 3 and 5, project rearwardly and their free ends lie in the s ace between the front and back of the sideare and end-bars, so that there are no sharp projections at the back of the buckle.

The cross-bar 3 is provided on opposite edges with similar short and relatively dull prongs 5, which have an upward projection in accordance with the concave-convex construction of said cross-bar.

I t will be understood that by making the various bars concavo-convex there is secured not only strength, but a smooth finish.

The cross-bar stands out from the face'of the side-bars and end-bars.

In using the buckle, one strap 6 is passed from below or from the back through the space 7 between one end-bar and the crossbar, and then over the cross-bar and down through the space 8 beneath the other endbar, and its end is drawn out from the back of the end-barand beyond said end-bar, as shown in Fig. 5. The other strap 9 is passed through the buckle from the op osite endbar and over the first stra an rearward through the space 7 back 0 the other endbar. As thus applied, the strap 6 is What may be called t a .under strap and it is gage the straps and he serted into the buckle in order to insure the.

engaged by the prongs 5 of the cross-bar,

while the strap 9, which may be called the outer strap, is engaged by the pron on the end-bars, and both of the straps are ient over the cross-bar in such way as to put a bight into the straps, and then when pull in the direction of the arrows, Fig. 5, is laced upon these straps, the lprongs frictiona 1y end them securely, principally by virtue-of the bight put into the straps by crossing them over the elevated cross-bar.

By longitudinal movement of the straps in the reverse direction to that indicated by the arrows, the straps may be released and read'usted.

asmuch as the buckle is identical at both ends and on both edges of the cross-bar, it follows that the buckle may be used reversely; that is to say, the straps may be connected therewith from either end, and hence the weareris not putto the trouble to find out which way the straps are to be in en agement of the prongs therewith.

he prongs on the-cross-bar may be variously formed. As shown in Fight), the sidebarsl ,end-bars 2 and their prongs 4 may be as previously described, but the cross-bar 10 may be of the previously described concavoconvex construction, but instead of edge pron s, it may have the erpendicularly dlS- posed prongs 11 turne u from its substance. Also, as shown in ig. 7, the sidebars 1, end-bars 2 and the pron s 4 may be as previously described,'while t e cross-bar 12 may be fiat, (althou' h it may be concaveconvex) and instead 0 edge prongs, it may have the substance of its central portion pressed up in the form of small cones 13.

Any number of prongs of. any of the described conformations may be used on the cross-bars.

In every case there is an 0 position between the rongs on the end ars and the prongs on tiie cross-bar which results in gripping the'straps-when strain is applied, and

since the cross-bar is elevated as describe h and thereby a bight is put into the straps as they pass over it, there 18 no necessity for the pron s penetrating the straps as occurs in prior uckles where relatively long and sharp pointed prongs are used.

While the present construction ,affords equal holding advantages with the penetrating prongs, it has the further advantage of permitting the ready adjustment of the straps, and also their ready disconnection from the buckle, and the use of the buckle reversely. And further, the ove'rl ing strap serves to increase the gripping e ect by its wedge-like action due to bending it over the cross-bar and beneath the endbars.

What I claim is 1. A buckle, having side-bars, integral end-bars provided with rearwardly projecting relatively short and dull prongs, and a cross-bar elevated above and integral with the side-bars and provided with upwardly projecting prongs.

2. A buckle, having side-bars, integral end-bars provided with rearwardly projecting relatively short and dull prongs, and a cross-bar elevated above and integral with the side-bars and of concavo-convex cross section and provided with upwardly projecting prongs.

3. A buckle, having side-bars, integral end-bars provided on their inner edges with rearwardly projecting relatively short and dull-prongs, and a cross-bar elevated above and integral with the side-bars and of concavo-convex cross-section and provided with upwardly projecting prongs on itsopposite edges.

4. A identical end-bars having rearwardly projecting prongs on their inner edges, and a concavo convex cross-bar connected with the side-bars and elevated above said sidebars and having upwardly projecting prongs ISAAC BLUM.

lVitnesses: I

MosEs HEonT, J. G. ROSENHEINN.

reversible bnckle, having side bars, 

